PRESS RELEASE from Devil Ark: Record breaking breeding season at Devil Ark

Not for profit conservation organisation Devil Ark, a breeding facility to avert the extinction of the endangered Tasmanian devil, is reveling in the success of another record breaking season. Four month old Tasmanian devil joeys have had their first health check at Devil Ark this morning with the state-of-the-art conservation breeding facility confirming 51 joeys.

Each female devil gave birth to over 30 miniscule joeys, but only the first four that attach to a teat will endure, so it’s survival of the fittest from the minute they are born. The joeys are now four months old, but will stay in the pouch for another couple of months. They will then leave the pouch and venture out on mums back before dispersing around Christmas and joining the breeding population.

Devil Ark president, Tim Faulkner said about today’s events “The health check was great – the joeys are in perfect condition and all the mums are doing well as well. Last year we celebrated our 200th joey being born into the program so we couldn’t be more proud of how far we have come in the last 6 years. A boost to the species of another 51 joeys is exactly what they need’.

Tim says “Australia has the worst small mammal extinction rate on earth, almost as many as the rest of the world combined. Australia is unique and under attack from disease, feral predators and habitat destruction. Our organisations are committed to reversing this trend or at very least stalling”.

Commenting on the success of Devil Ark, Tim goes on to explain “As a registered charity, Devil Ark largely relies on external support from project partners and the general public to maintain the facility. We’re eternally thankful for all those who donate and are constantly putting a call out to protect the Tasmanian devil, so we don’t end up with another devastating Australian mammal extinction like we did with the Tasmanian tiger.”

Devil Ark is a part of a national breeding program to save the species from extinction. It remains the most successful captive breeding facility for the endangered Tasmanian devil on the mainland – starting out in 2011 with 44 founder animals, the facility now holds an impressive 52% of the mainland insurance population being 154 animals.

Currently classified as endangered the Tasmanian devil is under threat from a transmissible called Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). In Tasmania, the disease has reduced the wild population to less than 90% in some areas. DFTD continues to menace the endangered Tasmanian devil population. With no proven of effective cure or vaccine insurance programs like Devil Ark continue to be the species’ best hope of long term survival.